Folding chair



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. S. MAGKAYE FOLDING CHAIR. No. 300,617. Patented June 17, 1884.

WI TN ESSES (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2:.

J. S. MAGKAYE.

. FOLDING CHAIR.

No. 800,617. Patented June 1'], 1884.

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(N0 Model.) J. Z MAG 4 SheetsSheet 3.

v FOLDING CHAIR.

Patented June 17, 1884.

WITNESSES @M? Ma! r I 6202 7% HIM NITED STATES A'IENT OFFICE.

JAMES STEELEMACKAYE, OF NENV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, TO THE BRENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGE- PORT,CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,617, dated June 17,1884-.

Application filed October 30, 1883.

(No model.)

Be it known that I, JAMEs STEELE MAC- KAYE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingChairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and'use the same.

This invention relates to chairs more especially designed for use intheaters, public halls, and other places where large audiences orcongregations of people assemble.

My invention consists of certain structural peculiarities, set forth inthe claims at the close of this specification, which not only greatlyenhance the comforts and conveniences of such chairs, but render theiruse in theaters and public halls an advantage rather than an obstructionto commodious and safe ingress and egress.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have illustratedin the annexed drawings, and will proceed to describe, the best formthereof at present known to me.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of my improved chairs, showingone with the seat unfolded and the other turned at an angle of ninetydegrees to the first, with its seat folded. Fig. 2 is a rear elevationof said pair of chairs, the one with the folded seat having been turnedso as to face the same way as the other. Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe chairs. Figs. 4 to 9 illustrate various details,.some of which aredrawn on a larger scale than the residue.

The same letters of reference indicate identical parts in all thefigures.

My newly-invented chair is a swinging one, constructed with a foldingseat, and one of its characteristic features is the arrangement of.

the supporting-stand at a point which forms or is adjacent to one of therear corners of the unfolded chair, said stand being of post-like orcolumnar configuration, in order that, it may occupy the leastpracticable space and offer no obstruction to the formation of broadaisles when the chair is folded up, either parallel with the stage orat' right oroblique angles thereto.

I prefer to embody my invention in the form of a duplex chair, one standserving to support two otherwise independent chairs; and this form Ihave illustrated, and will proceed to describe in detail, premising,however, that I do not confine myself to this particular form of myinvention, but that I propose to construct single chairs, each supportedon a separate standard,whenever circumstances require such aconstruction, and that some of my claims at the Close of thisspecification are I intended to apply to and cover both forms.

For the sake of lightness and strength I make the stand in the form of ahollow semi- 6 column, A, formed taperingly, and with a suitable flangeat the base for obtaining a broad bearing on thefloor, to which it is tobe screwed or bolted. The concave side of this hollow columnar standfaces in the direction of the front of the chairs when they are inseating position. The head A'of the columnar stand is constructed withfour rearwardlyprojecting parallel perforated lugs, a, which form thestationary leaves of the main hinge on which the chair swings. The twochairs having said columnar stand for a common support are of likeconstruction, with the exception of only a few such differences asnecessarily result from hinging one at its righthand rear corner to thestand and the other at its lefthand rear corner.

I have marked corresponding parts of the two members of this duplexchair with similar letters of reference, so that the description of onemember will apply to both. The seat B, composed of the usual frame andbottom, is hinged to the horizontal bar of the main chair-bracket O by acouple of bars, I) 1), projecting from the rear edge of the seat, thesaid 0 bars being so formed and pivoted to the chairbracket that theseat may fold close up against the back D. The chair-bracket Oisprovidedwith perforated lugs d, which enter between the perforated lugs a of thecolumnar standA, 9 5 and are pivoted thereto by the vertical pintle (t.The chair-bracket is constructedwithuprights c, to the upper ends ofwhich theback D is pivoted. Thearms E E are also pivoted at one end tothe uprights c, and the other end of each arm is connected by alink, E,to the seat, all in such a manner that the arms and links readily foldor unfold in folding or unfolding the seat. Vhen the seat is foldedup,the arms will stand about vertically and about in line with the back,as shown in Fig. 2, so as to offer no obstruction to persons passing bythe chair. The arms may be suitably marked on the outside to designatethe row and the number of the chair, so that 1: 5 an occupant may havethese designations right under his eye. The seat is provided with a leg,F, which Iprefer to make in the form of a rectangular frame, and to sobend it that for the greater part of its length it may conformapproximately to the curvature of the seat. The leg is pivoted to theseat-frame at the front end, and connected by a link, F,,to a fixed lug,c, on the chair-bracket O in such a manner that it will fold or unfoldas the seat is folded or unfolded. This frame-like leg is fitted betweenthe side bars of the seat-frame, so that it may fold close against theupholstered or cane bottom thereof and offer no practical obstruction toa person passing by the seat. I prefer to provide the chair with aframe-like leg, not only because it is light and strong, but alsobecause the clothing of a passing person cannot be caught on it. Ahat-holder, G, is fixed to the under side of the seat. It is a lightcasting of horseshoe shape, having slottedlcgs. It is secured to therear bar of the seat-frame, and its legs project under the bottom,conforming approximately to the curvature thereof.

In order that the seat may fold automatically,

I apply a spiralsprin g, H, to the chair-bracket,

spring will draw and hold the hook-pawl be 5 tween the surface 0 andratchet-whcel H, on-

gaging the teeth ol' the latter. In adjusting the tension of the springasuitable spanner is applied to the ratchet-wheel to turn it back so asto release the hook-pawl, which may then be shifted to engage adifferent tooth of the ratchet-wheel. The back]) is pii'oted at aboutits midheight to the chairbracket, and provided at its lower end withbars D D, which project downwardly sufficientl y to strike thehorizontal bar of the chair-bracket in front, and thus check the motionof the back. These bars D also serve as ing to this end formed in saidbracket on each side and'adjacent to the stand, which socket is enteredby an anti-friction roller, b. on the bar I) of the seat when the seatis turned down.

In order to stop the rearward swing of the chairs at the proper point,so that they may 8 5 form barriers between the aisles opened thereby andprevent the people from crowding one another, I apply a stop, 1, to thering-like bracket I. I also provide for the adjustment of the stop onthe bracket, in order that the 0 chairs may be stopped at any angle, sothat in an auditorium supplied with these chairs aisles may be formed,when the chairs are swung back, running in various directions, guidingand directing the audience in proper divisions to the respective exits.

The chair-bracket is provided with a foot rest, L. As shown, it is anangle-iron, the upright bar of which is pivoted at its upper end to thechair-bracket, while the end of the horizontal bar or foot-rest properis pivoted to the stand A. It also serves as a brace to thechair-bracket, and its upright bar may be fixed thereto, instead ofpivoted.

The back is pivoted to the chair-bracket in the manner shown anddescribed, in order that it may readily accommodate itself to theoccupant, whatever position he may assume.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A swinging chair embodying the followingdevices, namely: first, a columnar stand; second, a chair-bracket hingedvertically to said stand; third, a back attached to the chairbracket;fourth, a folding seat hinged to the front of said chair-bracket; fifth,a folding leg II 5 pivoted to said seat.

2. A duplex swinging chair embodying the combination of the followingdevices, namely: first, a single columnar stand; second, twochair-l.)rackets hinged vertically to said stand; third, two backsattached one to each chairbracket; fourth, two folding seats hinged oneto the front of each chair-bracket; fifth, two folding legs pivoted oneto each seat.

3. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, thefolding seat hinged to the front of said chair-bracket, the pivoted leg,and the back pivoted to said chair-bracket and independent of the seat,as described, so that such back may turn freely to accommodate itself tothe position of the occupant.

1-. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, thefolding seat hinged to the front of said chair-bracket, the pivoted leg,and the back pivoted to said chair-bracket, as described, so that beingindependent of the seat it may turn freely to accommodate itself to theposition of the occupant, and the folding arms.

5. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, theseat hinged to the front of said chairbracket, the leg pivoted to saidseat, and the link connecting the leg with the chair-bracket.

6. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, theseat hinged to the front of said chairbracket, the frame-like legpivoted to the seat and formed as described, so that it may fold closeagainst the bottom of the seat between the side bars of the seat-frame,and the link connecting the leg with the chair-bracket.

7. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, theseat and back attached to said chain bracket, substantially asdescribed, and the rearwardly-projecting ring-l ikc bracket on the saidstand.

8. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, theseat hinged to the front of said chairbracket, and provided 011 itsunder side with an anti-friction roller, and the rearwardlyprojectingring-like bracket provided with a socket adjacent to the stand forreceiving the anti-friction roller when the seat is turned down, so thatthe chair is then prevented from Swinging.

9. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnarstand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically tosaid stand, theseat and back attached to said chairbracket, substantially as described,and the ringlike bracket provided with means, substantially as setforth, for checking the rearward swing of the chair at any desiredpoint.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES STEELE lVitnesses:

S. VAN ZANDT, SOLOMON K. OSBORN.

MAOKAYE.

